First, this week’s winners: Margy Hawkins and Donna Brant. Conrats, ladies, and I hope you will enjoy your autographed books. As always, a new round begins today. All you have to do is comment, and you’ll be entered. The winners will be chosen at random, notified by Super-Jen, and announced right here in this space next Monday morning.

I have a wide range of friends, I’m happy to say, and they come from all walks of life, which only makes things more interesting.

Among the many reasons I love them:

1. They know me really well and like me anyway.

2. They’re not afraid to speak up when they think I’m full of sheep-dip.

3. They’re ready to celebrate when I do something right.

4. They share their good ideas with me. For instance, there’s Pastor Jean. We’ve been friends since the Nixon Administration, for Pete’s sake. Jean is smart, funny, and she’s super artistic. You should see her quilts and the banners she makes for her church–gorgeous colors, delicious textures, every one of them a tangible ‘hallelujah’. Just today, she sent me a couple of links on meditation, since I’ve been writing about my problems with concentration on this blog.

Linda, it is the mix of friends that make life more interesting. Having different kinds of friends is like having a buffet with all kinds of food to choose from. Each food meets a different need. Enjoy all of them.

Was thrilled to learn I am one of this week’s winners. Thanks so much. Looking forward to my surprise. Your blogs are certanly a joy to read. Full of wit and wisdom and just plain good news. So much like your books.

I can hardly believe I won an autographed book!! Thanks so much and I’ll cherish it always. At 71 years of age, my social life is found mainly at my local gym. I’ve made several good people and we support each other in our “fitness” endeavors. I’m also a quilter, and I’m in the planning stage of making one for my 14 year old granddaughter. I read every day and love getting into others minds and lives. Thanks so much for giving me and so many others your wonderful books!!

I am bless with a couple of the good friends. Although we lost contact with each other as we got older we have connected back up with each other through facebook and believe it or not just took over where we left off and each one of them have no problem being there for each other . Whether good or bad.
Heres to good friends, new ones and the old ones.

I believe i have all of your books probably up to about 6 months ago, but give me time I will get these new ones soon. I love your books. You are the reason I read books

Glad you have friends that keep you positive, it shows in your books. I agree with Gloria, life is more interesting with a variety of friends. Books provide the extra joy, relaxation and laughter. You do it right!

I love your blog today about friends….I have so many of them from our many travels with the military…but sad to say, none of them live near me here in Texas. So my books take me away and take my mind off everything….you are a wonderful author. Have a great day !!!

Congrats to Margie Hawkins and Donna Grant on your win. Hope you enjoy your book. Your blogs are certainly a joy to read Linda, and as you talk about your friends, I fill like you, I fill like I have some of the best. Sheep-dip, that is a good one !!that is a new one on me. I think I will steal that from you!!

Thanks for sharing Linda. I have to say thast I love the expression “fiull of sheep dip”. lol It’s these kind of friends I think that walk us through our trials. Congrats to this weeks winners. Speaking of meditation, I have to try some myself. Have a great week.
Carol L

I have friends who I have had since grade school, high school and have picked up along the way. They keep me in check and don’t let me get by with things I know (but don’t want to know) are wrong for me. Friends are to be treasured and kept close to your heart.

True friends see a side of you that no one else takes the time to look for. True friends hang tough when you need them to. True friends brighten the day just by saying HI when you least expect it! Have friends like these and cherish my time with them. When not reading, I am crocheting or making bracelets and a lot of these end up to my friends and family. Couldnt last long without true friends!

Hey Linda well I love reading your books I love the whole mckettrick series, I know people r born to do a certain thing in life and i believe yours was to write because you do it so well, I even got my daughter to read them and she loves u too and she loves them I also have 4 older boys too but she is my reader , we have been trying to get her brother that will be 16 to read some because the girls r liking him and we told him he should read them to learn about love and girls….lol hope u have a great week and sending lots of love hugs and prayers always, oh and my daughter wants to move to Montana when she gets older cuz of the books she reads…lol xoxoxoxoxx

Oh my, i am pretty sure i have a list of a page and a half of your books i have read! Some may have been read at least twice, whose counting! I really do need a new read. I just cannot put yours down! God Bless and Thank you for sharing with your fans!

Linda, Your blog made my day. Today is the first day I’ve been able to get out of bed. This “bug” really laid me low. I have to get well so I can go with my husband for this 55th Class Reunion. That group of friends makes every one happy just to be alive. They are a blast.
Sick or not I’m still thankful, especially for my dear husband who has seen me with bed head for almost a full week and didn’t even notice it. “That’s love” Have a full and blessed week. Congrats to the winners.

Hi. all:) We hit over 60 today an my Grandson an I play outside for a while. He’s 2 and had alot of fun. The sun is still shineing and my doors are open to the the fresh air in. Got to love spring when it gets here in Ohio. Took long enough.
Have a great day enjoy the Sun.

THANK you for your (very timely) post about friends on today’s blog. I was just reflecting on how blessed I have been, and am, to have the many heart-sister friends that I do, who have supported me when I was shattered, loved me when I felt unloved, and lifted me up when I felt worthless. These gals have brought me laughter, silliness, acceptance and love, and asked nothing in return — but have my undying love and thankfulness.

Really like your post on friends. I have a small number of close friends I have known for over 60 plus years. Those are the friendships that were rooted in grade school. So awesome to have that bond for that long. I Also have newer friends that are great too, but I would say the long time friends seem closer some how in the heart. Thanks for writing your books. They are awesome

I have a few friends that are close and a lot that I’ve connected with on facebook from my past that I am so happy to hear from. I love reading your books and actually all books. They are also my friends. Thanks for writing awesome books

My best friend of 42 years is the strongest most talented woman I know! She can make something beautiful out of a hairpin and a paper clip! We spent 20 years of our friendship apart while she and her husband lived abroad and on the other coast, but now we’re together again and it’s a beautiful thing!

Congratulations to the new winners. I’m sure you have many friends Linda. I also have a friend who is very artistic. I’m always so in awe of some of the things she does. Isn’t it wonderful the good Lord gives us all different talents? I’m grateful today for your blog. Blessings.

Isn’t that wonderful Linda. I have an embarrassment of friends also. My 50th Class Reunion was last year and I have rekindled and gained so many friends. Just because we shared that time 50 years ago people feel a genuine friendship even if you weren’t friends back then. Those still in this area meet for lunch each month and when you walk in and everyone greets you it an amazing feeling. I had a revision of a knee replacement done 12 yrs ago and it ended up being more than just an overnight stay and more painful than the original surgery. I walk in and everyone asks how I’m feeling. Someone else walks in and everyone is checking with them…..they remember what’s going on with everyone. Then there are the people I’ve rekindled friendships from over the 47+ years that I worked. This should be a fun summer. Have fun with your friends, too Linda.

True friends are hard to find…I have been fortunate and blessed to say I have two. All three of us are high school fiends, and that’s 36 years. I know as do they that we are here for each other no matter what. . We spend quality time together, no spouses or kids, every other year. And we spend that time together as if we had lunch together the week before.

Linda, I’ve been reading all the comments made by your fans and it is plain to see that all of us have at least two things in common…we love our friends, old and new, close and far away, and we love you books.

It is good to have friends that can support you when you need help! It amazes me that help comes from the most unexpected places at times. I also enjoy books that include supporting characters that share the main H/h problems and help them get out of any problems they have ot think they have!

“Thank you for being a friend” one of my favorite songs! I am very Blessed to have several long time friends that made in grammar and High school that consider my sisters. Thanks for writing such wonderful stories! God Bless!

Congrats to the winners! When are we gonna see pics of your Labradorite necklaces,pyramid, and cards? Would love to see them. Still holding my breathe for the next Charm book! Praise The Lord for good times and better friends!

I love all your books and can’t wait for the next to arrive. I’ve been following your books for years!!! I have many friends but I have a girlfriend that I call my sister although we are not blood sisters and we have been there for each other since we were 4 and 5 years old. I thank God for her. God has blessed me.

Life would be so boring without books.
Can’t imagine how we would survive
Imaginations would take a back seat
No who, where or whys
So thank an author today
A creative mind unleashed
Sending us to a relm of different worlds
Stories of alternate peeps.

I love the way the real friends always call, or drop by, or send a note just when you really need it…and they don’t even know. That’s a friend who is a gift from God. Enjoy your week! My daffodils are in full bloom and are a bit of “ground sunshine” every morning!

Thank God for our friends~ As I am reading my emails and responding here I am waiting to hear back from one of my best friends, who knows me almost better than I know myself, as I really need her wisdom and support tonight… As she is not available I think I will do the next best thing to venting to a good friend and that would be burying myself in a good book! Time to pull out an old friend and loose myself in the pages….